Galerie Myrna Myers

It can be intimidating to walk in some galleries, especially in Paris, but that is not the case at Galerie Myrna Myers. Myrna and her husband are the friendliest gallery owners I've ever met and are happy to share their extensive knowledge about Oriental textiles, ceramics and works of art with visitors to their chic gallery in the 7th arrondisement of Paris.

Myrna talked at length about the items in her gallery, describing the main differences between Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan robes and other textiles that she collects and sells. While all the textiles were incredibly beautiful, I was most interested in the Japanese kimonos. I once made a series of miniature kimonos and I've been reluctant to display or sell them because I did not understand the symbolism inherent in their decoration. Myrna assured me that almost every type of object was portrayed on fabric used in kimonos. I especially liked her description of the kimono as "poems to wear".

I was struck by Myrna's incredible passion for Oriental textiles, especially the story of how she turned her passion into a career. Her extensive collection of Chinese textiles resulted in a book called "Silks for Thrones and Altars", co-authored with John E. Vollmer, a curator of textiles at the Royal Ontario Museum.


Myrna inscribed the book for me and encouraged me to "keep working on my Japanese inspirations". I have so much inspiration and so little time. If only there were 30 hours in a day and/or I had an apprentice!!!!

Galerie Myrna Myers
11 rue de Beaune
Paris 75007
01 42 61 11 08
mmyersgal@aol.com

Shopping for Fabric in Paris

Fabric shopping in Paris was a huge priority for me. I knew I wanted to buy some toile de jouey fabric for my artwork and also to make some luscious decorative pillows and other items.

As luck would have it, the fabric district was only a metro ride and a transfer away to get to the artsy hood of Montmarte. I had been told that there were two huge fabric stores just to the right of the Bascilica Sacre Coure and as I followed the crowds of tourists up the hill, I detoured into a few of the smaller fabric shops along the way.


And then I hit mecca - two huge fabric stores across from each other each with four floors of the most gorgeous fabrics imaginable at Tissus Reine and Marche St. Pierre. I had to force myself to focus on what I came for and not get distracted by all the other lovely fabric possibilities. I ran up and down the stairs of both stores surveying all that was available before returning to Tissus Reine and buying heaps of fabric!!!

I don't regret my pretty purchases now, but as I was dragging my heavy load on the subway, I'd wondered what I'd done. I haven't yet had time to focus on creating some beautiful new art, pillows and aprons, but that is the next thing on my to-do list.


Tissus Reine
3 and 5 Place St. Pierre
Paris 01 46 06 02 31

Marche St. Pierre
Across the street from Tissus Reine
Paris

Metro stop: Anvers

P.S. If you are purchasing a lot of fabric and you wish to reclaim duty at the airport, you must tell the shop keeper in advance of your purchase!!!!

Les Fleurs en Les Jardins des Tuileries

One of my favourite things to do on a sunny day in Paris is stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries, the former gardens of the old Palais des Tuileries.

These formal gardens run parallel to the River Seine from the Louvre to the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. The royal gardener Andre Le Notre, royal gardener to Louis XIV, who also created the gardens of Versailles, created the original landscaping design. An extensive renovation and replanting of the Tuileries in recent years incorporated a striking mix of contemporary and classical sculpture.

Photo credits: Ingrid Mida copyright 2009

I was quite taken with this little patch of brilliant purple irises. They brought to mind Van Gogh's magnificent iris paintings as well as Yves Saint Laurent's exquisite embroidered and beaded iris evening jacket (Tribute to Van Gogh, summer 1988 collection).

Photo by Francois Gandier in Lesage by Lydia Kamitsis, published by Assouline 1999


Photo from Yves Saint Laurent Style Published by Abrams, New York, 2008

According to the book on Lesage, Les Iris de Van Gogh jacket took 600 hours of work to complete and includes 250000 paillettes in 22 colours, 200000 beads and 250 metres of ribbon!!!

Musee Picasso

The news of the theft of a Pablo Picasso sketchbook from the Musee Picasso yesterday sent shivers down my spine. Although I don't specifically recall seeing the sketchbook with a red cover valued at $12.4 million during my visit, it was shocking nonetheless, especially since no alarms were set off in the museum and there were no signs of a break-in. This magnificent collection of Picasso's work is housed in a former mansion located in the Marais district of Paris and its out of the way location means that it is usually not crowded. (Could that be one of the reasons the thieves targeted this museum?)

The entire museum is devoted to the works of Picasso and includes more than 250 paintings, 180 sculptures and 1,500 drawings. The pieces were acquired by France upon the death of the prolific artist in lieu of death duties. I'd hazard a guess that no other museum in the world can rival this collection of Picasso works.

There is a charming cafe in the garden where you can feast your eyes on this amusing goat sculpture.

I've been a long time admirer of Picasso's work. The energy, creativity and genius that he demonstrated in his lifetime is unparalleled.

Photo credits: Ingrid Mida

Musee Picasso
5 Rue de Thorigny
01 42 71 25 21
Metro: St-Sebastien.

Fastes de Cour et Ceremonies Royales, Le costume de Cour en Europe 1650-1800

There are only 18 days left to see the exhibition of Costumes of the Court and Royal Ceremonies in Europe 1650-1800 at Chateau Versailles.


This stunningly beautiful exhibition took my breath away. Never have I seen so much opulence and beauty in one place. The grandeur of the exquisite beading, sparkling jewels, intricate embroidery and rich fabrics on display cannot be described.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the influence of French fashion was widespread across Europe. Many of the royal courts of Europe ordered their ceremonial dress from Parisian suppliers. And unlike the French court who abandoned their wardrobes of one year to the officers and ladies that served them, the courts in Sweden, Denmark and the region of Saxony systematically preserved royal garments linked to key moments in their reigns. The bulk of what is shown in this exhibition at Versailles has been loaned by the museums in these countries and supplemented by loans from the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Hermitage, the Pitti Palace, the Louvre, Musee Galleria de la Mode de la ville de Paris and private collectors. There are also many paintings on display to provide context to the exhibition of costumes and jewelery. In total, there are over 200 items on exhibit.

The exhibition encompasses seven rooms:
1. French royal costume - a gallery of portraits of all the kings of the senior branch of the Bourbons, including Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI

2. The coronation and the royal orders - a display of the coronation clothes including the grand habit worn for the coronation of Sophie Madeleine on May 29, 1772 in Sweden

3. Weddings and State ceremonies - a showcase that includes the wedding clothes of Danish Princess Sophie Madleine to crown prince Gustav III of Sweden on November 4, 1766

4. The grand habit - examples of the grand costume for a lady's official presentation to the king and queen which included a very rare (but amusing) doll mannequin

5. Religious pomp - a gallery of religious costumes worn by church officials

6. The king's day - a presentation of kings' dressing gowns and hunting attire

7. Fashion and court costume - a display showcasing the influence of fashion on court dress which includes the gown owned by the Royal Ontario Museum.

I had the pleasure of being guided through the exhibition by curator Pascale Gorguet Ballesteros. The depth of her knowledge and her passion for her work left me in awe.

Having the privilege to meet with the curator and others like her on my trip gave me a new-found respect for the challenges faced by museum staff. I now have a better appreciation of their desire to protect these priceless treasures and guard their copyright. No photos were allowed in the exhibition. I purchased the catalogue (even though it was only available in French) which is 278 pages of beauty and well worth the 52 Euro cover price if you can locate a copy. (I purchased mine at the Louvre bookshop and it may still be available from the Chateau Versailles website.)

The following three photos were provided to me as part of the press kit associated with the exhibition. I can attest to the fact that the photos do not really convey the magnificence of the clothing on display.



The last photo is of the gown owned by the Royal Ontario Museum that has been attributed to Rose Bertin, marchandes des modes for Marie Antoinette. The dress was displayed from the back to showcase the beautiful embroidery on the train. Shown adjacent to the dress was a sample of 18th century embroidery located in an archive from an atelier in Lyon. The emblematic peacock feathers and floral motifs favoured by Marie Antoinette which are on the dress matches that of the embroidery sample!

This grand exhibition will close on June 28, 2009. For more information visit http://fastesdecour.chateauversailles.fr/index_en.html#/en/exposition

Versailles

The palace of Versailles defies description. Its opulence, grandeur and magnificence cannot really be conveyed through words or photos. I have been to Versailles three times and I still feel like I've not seen it all.

Although the palace is closed on Mondays for maintenance, the grounds are open to visitors. It was easier for me to imagine what it might have been like for Marie Antoinette to walk the grounds when there were fewer people around.

Photo credits: Ingrid Mida, 2009

I highly recommend the book "Versailles, Biography of a Palace" by Tony Spawforth (which I reviewed on May 25, 2009). As well, "Marie Antoinette and the Last Garden of Versailles" by Christian Duvernois and Francois Halard is hauntingly beautiful with photos of the gardens as they exist today (which I reviewed on April 7, 2009).

P.S. I know many of you have been patiently waiting for my post on the court costume exhibition "Fastes de Cour et Ceremonies Royales". I promise to post it tomorrow.

Versailles
01 30 83 78 00
www.chateauversailles.fr

Window Shopping in Paris

John Galliano
384-386 rue St. Honore
Paris 75001
01 55 35 40 40


Chanel
31 rue Cambon
Paris 75001
01 42 86 28 00




Anne Fontaine
370 Rue St. Honore
75001 Paris
01 42 96 51 14

Postcards from Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent

Photo credit: Duane Michals for Metropolitan Museum of Art

Whenever I travel, I purchase postcards as mementos. When I wrote yesterday's post about Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent, I forgot (in my jet-lagged and disoriented state) that I'd purchased a stack of cards in the boutique.

The first postcard showcases six Russian-inspired dresses from the fall-winter 1976-77 collection. After having been to the show "Le costume populaire russe", I can see the influence of the voluptuous silks, rich colours, intricate beading and elaborate head-wear of traditional Russian costumes on these YSL gowns.


Photo credit: Duane Michals for the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Yves Saint Laurent also took inspiration from other cultures including Africa. The four dresses above from the YSL spring-summer 1967 collection were African inspired.

Photo credit: Duane Michals for the Metropolitan Museum of Art

And lastly, this postcard features YSL with three of his artist inspired creations, including the Mondrian dress (1965-66), the Matisse dress (1981-82) and the Picasso dress (1979-80).

Yves Saint Laurent revisited these inspirations many times over the course of his career. If you are as passionate about his work as I am, you'll want to (re)read the following posts:

Quotes from Yves Saint Laurent (June 3, 2008)
Lessons from Yves Saint Laurent (June 7, 2008)
YSL Retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal (June 10, 2008)
Book Review: The Beautiful Fall, Fashion, Genius and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris

Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent

Photo credit: Ingrid Mida, 2009

After writing extensively about Yves Saint Laurent after his death last June and after seeing the magnificent retrospective of his work at the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal last summer, I made it a priority to go to the Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent in Paris. (To read all my posts related to YSL, please click on the YSL on the blog archive sidebar).

Currently on display is an exhibition called "Le Costume Populaire Russe" which showcases a collection of Russian costumes from Le Musee Ethnographique de la Russie. The exhibition opened on March 18 and will continue to August 30, 2009.

Yves Saint Laurent took inspiration from the colourful, heavily embroidered and beaded garments of traditional Russian costumes. In particular, the YSL collection for Fall and Winter 1976 drew on Russian influences and he was acclaimed by the fashion press for the revolutionary nature (International Herald Tribune) and luxurious extravagence (NY Times) of the collection. Sadly, only one YSL outfit inspired by Russia was included in the display.

Photos were not allowed in the exhibition and I madly sketched these three costumes in 10 minutes. They are rough sketches but I think they convey the spirit of what I saw (if only I'd brought along some coloured pencils!).

Sketch by: Ingrid Mida, 2009

Sketch by: Ingrid Mida




Sketch by: Ingrid Mida, 2009

On my way out, I popped into the boutique and picked up the exhibition catalogue (only available in French). It does not include the costumes I sketched but will help me remember the magnificent colours and intricate beading when I attempt to work up these sketches into finished drawings.

Exhibition Catalogue edited by: Nicolas Beytout
Cover Photo by: Dominique Cohas
Published by: Societe Francaise de Promotion Artistique 2009


Fondation Pierre Berge-Yves Saint Laurent
3, rue Leonce-Reynaud
75116 Paris
01 44 31 64 31
Metro: Alma-Marceau

More about Lesage

Given all the questions and emails I received about yesterday's post, it seems obvious that I should have provided a little more information about Ecole Lesage.


Ecole Lesage, the embroidery school, is open to anyone. Classes for all levels, from beginner to professional, are offered throughout the year (except for August and the last week of December). Advance registration is required including a 30% deposit. The web-link to the school (which can be read in French, English or Japanese) provides more details about the courses available.

Instruction is available in both French and English. I sat at a table with a French instructor and was able to understand almost everything she said. When I had a question or problem that could not be solved with a demonstration, the English-speaking instructor intervened. (I understand French better than I can speak it.)

To see my flower brooch in more detail, please double-click on the photo in yesterday's post.

I can hardly wait to return to Ecole Lesage and would like to take the Silk ribbon Rococo pillow class or the Level 1 Flower Vase class. Next time I will also remember to pick up the two instructional books on embroidery that I somehow overlooked while I was at the school (the website does not indicate that the books can be shipped).

For those of you who have no interest in learning haute couture embroidery and would prefer to admire beautiful images of Lesage embroidery, there is an Assouline book by Lydia Kamitsis called "Lesage" published in 1999 and 2003.


This exquisite Balenciaga dress from 1961 is one of the photos in the book and is from the Lesage archives.

P.S. I counted 20 flowers on the front of this beautiful dress. Assuming the back has the same number of flowers, there would be approximately 40 flowers on the dress. If each flower takes between 3-6 hours to embroider, that is 120-240 hours of embroidery work!!! No wonder haute couture dresses are so expensive!

Ecole Lesage
1e rue de la Grange Bateliere
75009 Paris, France
01 44 79 00 88
Website: www.ecole-lesage-paris.com
Email: ecole-lesage@lesageparis.fr

Ecole Lesage

I have always wanted to learn to embroider and I decided to learn from the best. While in Paris, I spent a day at the Lesage atelier and ecole. (This over-the-top salute to embroidery was on the staircase outside the atelier.)

The Lesage atelier specializes in hand embroidery for haute couture and ready to wear garments. Now owned by Chanel, the atelier can trace its roots to the middle of the 19th century when Michonet embroidered for the house of Worth.

On a tour of the archives with the charming Monsieur Francois Lesage, I saw breathtakingly beautiful samples of embroidery from Vionnet, Yves Saint Laurent and other legendary designers. I wanted to clap when M. Lesage said "Embroidery is like a piece of art; you put yourself into it."

After seeing the dedication of his staff hunched over their worktables as they created wearable works of art, I could hardly wait for my lesson to begin at Ecole Lesage. Not long after sitting down to work, I realized how difficult this work is.

Although the instructors were highly skilled and extremely patient, I had to be shown some of the steps more than once and had to redo parts over. It was a painstaking 3 hour long effort to make an embroidered, beaded organza flower brooch.

I am now hooked on embroidery. The school offers an array of courses ranging in commitment from 3 to 150 hours. I want to go back!!

Ecole Lesage
13 rue de la Grange Bateliere
75009 Paris, France
01 44 79 00 88
www.ecole-lesage-paris.com
email: ecole-lesage@lesageparis.fr

Paris is my Muse!

Paris = Fashion...These past ten days in Paris have been a dream and I hardly know where to begin. My head is spinning with all that I've done and all that I've seen. I tried to squeeze in as much as possible during that time and I took hundreds of photos and filled up two sketchbooks. I bought countless postcards (including this fun one) and dragged back far too many heavy books on fashion. I am filled up with inspiration and delight. It will take me some time to digest it and incorporate it into my artwork and my writing. Stay tuned as I make Paris my muse!